Skirt-gage.



E- H. YOUNG.

SKIRT GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1910.

Patented July 12, 1910.

rim NORRIS PETERS cal, wAsHiNcmN, D. c.

ELIZABETH H. YOUNG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SKIRT-GAGE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH H. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Skirt- Gages, of which the fbllowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for facilitating the measurement of the lengths of ladies skirts.

Devices heretofore produced for this purpose may be divided into two classes, those in which the length of the skirt is determined by measuring upwardly from the floor, and those in which the length of the skirt is determined by measuring down wardly from a datum line or points on the upper portion of the skirt. This invention relates to a skirt gage of the second mentioned class. Skirt gages of the second mentioned class as heretofore produced have generally, if not always, required a change of position of the wearer of the skirt during the operation of forming the datum line or points, and hence it has been practically impossible to form such line or points at the same height from the floor entirely around the skirt, for the reason that in changing position the wearer will perhaps throw her weight more upon one foot than upon the other and in other ways change the distance of various parts of the skirt from the floor.

My invention seeks to obviate this defect by producing a device in the use of which the wearer does not need to change her position and by means of which a datum line may be formed all around the skirt at a given height from the floor, all points in said datum line being at the same distance from the floor.

My invention may be usedin measuring skirts with trains as well as those without.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a skirt gage embodymg the features of my invention and illustrating the manner of using it. Fig. 2 is a fragmental view, upon an enlarged scale, of a belt or band comprised in said skirt gage. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a fragmental perspective view illustrating the connection between the uprights and the lower belt or band. Fig. 5 is a sectional view representing a means for connecting the ends of said lower band.

The embodiment herein shown of my invention comprises a suitable number of up- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. January 14, 1910.

the portion 8.

Patented July 12, 1910.

Serial No. 537,985.

rights 1, four such uprights being illustrated. The lower ends of said uprights, in this instance, rest upon the floor. They are secured together at their lower ends by suitable means such as a flexible band or belt 2 of spring steel or other suitable material, the said bands passing through slots 3 formed in the lower ends of the uprights, and the free ends of the band being secured together in adjusted position by a buckle or other suitable means. I have herein shown a clip or sleeve 4 through which one end of the band 2 extends loosely, the ends of the band being secured together by means of a stud 5 (Fig. 5) upon one end adapted to enter any one of a number of openings 6 in the other end.

In order to prevent the uprights from sliding along the band 2, said band may have formed therein notches 7 to receive the portions 8 (Fig. 4:) of the uprights. The slot 3 in each upright is of the same width vertically as the extreme width of the band in order that the latter may be raised to disengage the notched portion thereof from Preferably a plurality of notches 7 is provided in order that the position of the uprights may be adjusted with relation to the band when that is desirable in adjusting the device to extreme sizes of skirts.

Through slots 9 formed in the upper portion of the uprights 1 is freely passed a band or belt 10, the ends of which band are held in adjusted relation to each other by any suitable means. I have herein shown said ends as extending through clips or sleeves 11, studs 12 (Fig. 2) on one end of the band being adapted to enter a plurality of openings 13 in the other end of the band.

In each upright a number of slots 9 is formed in order that the band 10 may be passed through the uprights at various heights from the floor. Preferably the uprights are graduated for a suitable distance, as, for example, from twenty inches to thirty-eight inches from the floor, the slots 9 being formed in the graduated portion of the uprights.

In the band 10 are formed slots 14: through which a datum line may be formed on the skirt by means of a crayon or by placing pins in the fabric.

In use, the skirt to be measured is donned, the wearer steps into the space between the uprights 1, and the belt 10 is passed through appropriate slots 9 at such a height as to bring the belt directly below the hips. The band 10 is drawn up so as to fit closely about the skirt, and the ends of said band secured in place. A datum line is now formed en tirely around the skirt by marking through the slots let or by pinning through said slots. The band 10 is then opened to permit the wearer to step out of the device. The skirt may now be removed and the bottom of the skirt trimmed oi't at the desired height from the floor. This distance may be accurately determined by measuring downwardly from the datum line; for example, if the datum line was formed at a height of, say, thirty-six inches from the floor, and the bottom of the skirt is to be two inches from the floor, the operator measures thirty-four inches downwardly from the datum line. In skirts with trains, the proper length of the skirt at the front and sides may be accurately determined in the same way as described for other skirts.

It will be seen that by means of this device a datum line may be accurately formed all around the skirt at a determinate height above the floor, and that from this datum line measurements may be readily made by means of which the skirt may be made of such length that all portions of the bottom thereof shall be at a uniform height from the floor.

The device may be easily used by the wearer without the assistance of another person and without the necessity of stooping or changing positions.

I claim as my invention:

A skirt gage comprising a flexible band having its ends adjustably secured together, said band being adapted to encircle the skirt just below the hips and to be drawn up so as to fit closely about the wearer, a plurality of spaced graduated uprights arranged to rest upon the floor and adjustably connected to said band and extending close to the band so as to stand close to the skirt, said uprights being of such length as to support said band Within reach of the wearers hands when the wearer is standing erect, and adjustable means for connecting together the lower ends of the uprights, said uprights being adapted to assume an inclined position to conform to the slope of the skirt.

ELIZABETH H. YOUNG.

WVitnesses:

JOSEPH R. BARSE, Jr., 0. PAUL PARKER. 

